Public safety, transportation and parks top Palmetto’s sales tax spending

With about $1 million annually streaming into Palmetto’s coffers from the half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2016 for the next 15 years, the city is looking to finalize its spending priorities.

After several weeks of discussion, public safety continues to top the list, accounting for 44 percent of sales tax revenue over the next 15 years with $6.8 million being dedicated. The bulk of that, $6.3 million, is being reserved to replace and potentially relocate the aging police department building, built in the 1930s. An additional $435,000 is being reserved for technology upgrades, including 11 license plate recognition cameras to be located at the city’s gateways.

City park improvements also remain a high priority, though the smallest percentage of funding is earmarked. Just 22 percent, or $3.4 million, is being dedicated to parks, but the category also includes spending for government facilities. There is $250,000 in planned improvements at city hall, including a new roof, stucco and paint for the exterior, and window replacement. Public works also wants a $250,000 storage facility. The city also is planning $100,000 in improvements to the city cemetery’s entrance, as well as new benches and LED lighting.

More than $1.7 million is being planned for parks improvements, including $250,000 for trails and benches at the city’s newest park, not yet under construction, at the end of Fifth Street West. Another $200,000 is being earmarked to remodel the restrooms at Hidden Lake, and the same amount is being reserved for new bathrooms at Martin Luther King Jr. Park and for recreational trails at Hydrant Park and other locations.

Sutton Park is likely to receive $250,000 for new playground equipment, Hydrant Park will get a playground replacement worth $100,000 and tentatively, a new covered basketball court at Lamb Park is being proposed for $375,000, but may have some opposition from the dais. Though the city looks to “finalize” the list at its Jan. 22 meeting, city attorney Mark Barnebey said the list is simply a framework to follow and nothing more.

“This is tentative and I don’t want the commission to get trapped into this,” Barnebey said. “Fifteen years is a long time and this will be reviewed at least once a year, but gives the commission a framework.”

Jim Freeman, city clerk, said priorities may change from year to year, so the order of the projects may change with those needs. The important thing, for now, he said, is to have that guideline in place, as well as guidelines, “in how we monitor these funds and going forward we want to make sure that, at least annually, see how we are doing against the funds collected.”

Transportation projects will get the second most funding at 34 percent, or more than $5.2 million. More than $2 million will go toward sidewalk projects with $1 million to add sidewalks from 10th Avenue West, to Riverside Drive West, to 17th Street West. An additional $1 million will go for sidewalk improvement projects in “various” parts of the city.

More than $1.7 million will be invested into intersection safety projects, including adding a right turn lane at Eighth Avenue West and 10th Street West and an intersection realignment project at at U.S. Business 41 and 23rd Street. More than $1.4 million will go toward several planned repaving projects over the course of the next 15 years.

Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant said the process to replace the police department as well as improvements to Hydrant and Taylor parks are the two top priorities for this year.

This story was originally published January 8, 2018 at 7:22 PM with the headline "Public safety, transportation and parks top Palmetto’s sales tax spending."